Taking on a walking challenge for St Raphael’s is more than just getting outdoors – it’s an exciting way to move with purpose and make a real difference for local people facing the challenges of end of life.
From peaceful park strolls to challenging hill climbs, solo treks to community-wide walking events, your challenge can be as relaxed or ambitious as you like. It’s your walk – you choose the route, set the pace, and make the rules. From a workplace step challenge to a large community walk, we’ll support you every step of the way!
How it works
You get helpful tips and advice
Receive ideal tips and advice for your type of event.
Let us know you are supporting St Raphael’s
We love hearing how you’re supporting us, so please share your story.
You get fundraising support
Our team can help you reach your target by offering tips, advice and support by phone.
Helping you raise money
Whether you’re running a marathon or hosting a bake sale, we’re here to help you every step of the way.
Ready to Walk the Walk? Here’s How to Get Started
Choose a route
Plan your walk around what inspires you. Pick a distance that challenges and excites you. Check out sites like Outdoor Active for inspiration and helpful information.
Pick your date
Whether it’s a single-day event or a month-long step challenge, choosing a date gives you focus and something to work towards.
Gather your team
Walk solo or bring others along. Friends, family or colleagues can also keep you motivated and help grow your fundraising network.
Register your challenge
Let us know your plans so we can support you with tips, resources and encouragement.
Set up your fundraising page
Create your JustGiving fundraising page to make it easy for friends and family to donate and share your challenge. Every mile you ride can help make a difference.
Frequently asked questions
I need some help with fundraising ideas, can you help?
We love fundraising and want to help make sure it’s as easy as possible for you. We’ve got lots of ideas to help get the money rolling in.
I’ve completed my fundraising, how do I pay the money in?
Paying your money in is easy. Find out how here
How do I find a walking route?
There are lots of popular routes in the UK and abroad. Think about how much time you have and how much of a challenge you want to set yourself.
We recommend sites like National Trail, Outdoor Active and Komoot
How far in the future should I pick a date for my walk?
Lots of things can affect how far in advance you plan your walk. Will you need to do some training? Will you want to hold extra fundraising events to help you reach your target?
If you’re hoping to lead a large walk, how much notice might people need to get it in their diaries? And will you need time to apply for permission from the council or land owners?
Lots of our walkers start planning three to six months before their walk to give them plenty of time to fit fundraising and planning around their busy lives. If you’re planning something ambitious, you might need a bit longer. Don’t underestimate the amount of training you may need to do to feel ready for your walk, so give yourself plenty of time.
What can I do to make sure my walk is safe?
Solo walking events
If you are taking on a solo challenge, it can be safer – and more fun – to have friends or family meet you at points along the way. If that’s not possible, make sure there’s someone who knows your route and is waiting to meet you at the end.
For an excellent and detailed safety checklist, have a look at the Mountain Rescue website. Their advice is tailored for hills and mountains but is well worth a read whatever kind of walk you’re planning.
Group walking events
If you are leading or organising a walk, one of the most important things to do is a risk assessment. This will help you to anticipate and plan for anything that might go wrong. You can find advice about how to do a risk assessment at the Health and Safety Executive.
There’s also some useful information on organising your own event from the Institute of Fundraising.
You will also need to consider whether you need insurance. This might be insurance for yourself if you’re doing an overseas walk, or public liability insurance if you’re holding a public event. For private events, this may not be necessary.
Planning a large walking event can seem a bit daunting but we’ve teamed up with Walk 4 Life to help make planning your own event easy with lots of useful online resources. Simply visit the Walk 4 Life website for more information.
What walking gear do I need to take?
This depends on the type of walk you’ll be doing. Please make sure you have the correct supplies, for example:
- Water
- Snacks
- Map
- Compass
- Mobile phone
- Suitable footwear
- Waterproofs
- Warm clothing
What is the countryside code? Do I need to follow it?
You can read about the countryside code on the gov.uk website. Please make sure you follow the code and make others in your group aware of it too.
Do I need to tell the local council about my walking event?
If you’re organising a large event you may need to check with your local council about whether there are any special permissions required. Does the walk cross any local farms or private land? If so let them know about your event as this will ensure that they know in advance and will help avoid problems.